08 Jul 2015

Members of Parliament have supported the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources Bill for second reading.

The Bill seeks to provide for the continuation of the Botswana College of Agriculture, which was established under Section 2 of the BCA Act under the name Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Presenting the Bill in parliament, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao noted that the continuation of the college included the dis-association of the college from the University of Botswana (UB), making it independent from UB.

Since it became an associate institute of UB in 1991, he said, the college had grown to offer training at Degree, Masters and Doctorate levels in addition to Certificate and Diploma levels that were already being offered.

Further, Mr Molao said those developments demonstrated that the college had matured and for all intents and purposes, it was already operating like a university, adding that transforming it to the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources would therefore have minimal impact on structural re-organisation and cost.

Five faculties such as Agriculture, Natural Resources, Sciences, Rural Economy, Education and Extension and Animal and Veterinary Sciences, he said were envisaged in the new institution.

Assistant Minister Molao also noted that the university would be better positioned to address the national development priorities of food security, rural development, economic diversification, youth empowerment and sustainable use of natural.

Also, he said it would be able to offer a wide range of courses at professional level through the five faculties.

In addition, he said the college had adequate staff and infrastructure to immediately transform into a university, adding that the infrastructure included a 700 hectare farm, classrooms, laboratories, student facilities and staff offices at both Sebele and Lobatse campuses.

The university was also expected to provide cost effective local training opportunities in agricultural science and thus contribute towards improving food security and poverty eradication.

It would also focus on developing the human resource and conduct research that would solve problems associated with all phases of the agricultural value chain.

Meanwhile, MP for Shoshong, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele said having the university would benefit the country as the agriculture sector was one of the key drivers of the country’s economy.

Mr Makgalemele said the university would mean big agricultural businesses or economic hubs for the country to benefit from, while at the same time diversifying the county’s economy.

Kanye South MP, Mr Abram Kesupile also supported the idea of having a university, but stressed that all the planning should be implemented not after a very long time, as implementation of many things had proved problematic in the country.

He also cautioned that continuation of something at times does not bring change; noting that the university might not be allocated the sufficient funds it deserved during financial years because it would just be a continuation of the college.

On the other hand, MP for Selebi Phikwe East, Mr Nonofo Molefhi also stressed the issue of sufficient funding for the university once it becomes operational.

He noted that positive results of researches could not be seen over night, stating that a lot of money needed to be invested in those researches to see the results.

Still on the issue of money, Mr Molefhi noted that the university would be competing with other institutions in other countries for service providers such as academic staff or lectures, hence there was need to offer attractive remunerations other countries would be offering. ENDS